Chapter 3

Of what remedies we are to serve ourselves, towards the contempt of the Vainglory, of the world; And of the great force, which Christ our Lord doth give, for the overcoming thereof.

WE ought to esteem it, as a great remedy against this mischief, that it is condemned by the very light of Nature. For as much as even that, doth teach us, That man is to do works, worthy of Honour, but not for Honour's sake; That he should deserve it, but not value it; and that a¹ noble courage, aught to despise, both the being esteemed, and disesteemed; and that nothing should be held in high account, but virtue. But² if notwithstanding all this, a Christian have not the hart, to contemn this vanity, let him raise his eyes up to his Lord, being placed upon a Cross; and there he shall see him, so surcharged with dishonour, that if it be well considered, it may enter into competition with the grievousness of those, very torments, which he there endured. Nor did our Lord, without cause, make choice of a death, which might be accompanied with extreme dishonour; but for that he knew, what a powerful tyrant this love of honour was, & was likely to be in the hart of many, who would make no difficulty to expose themselves to death; but yet would fly from the manner of the death, if it were dishonourable. Now to give us to understand, that neither the one, nor the other, aught to fright us; he³ chose the death of the Cross; whereupon, extreme torments, with excessive dishonour, did join, hand in hand. Behold then (if thou have eyes wherewith to do it) how Christ is esteemed, for the meanest of men; and abased, by deep dishonours; some of which, were brought upon him, by that very death of the Cross (since that was the most infamous of all deaths) and others also, whereby they outraged our Lord in particular manner; for as much as there was no kind of people, which did not employ itself, upon despising, injuring, and blaspheming him, with certain fashions of dishonour, which never were found out before:

Thus shalt thou perceive, how entirely that was fulfiled, which he (whilst he was preaching) said,⁴ I do not seek mine own honour; and do thou, after the same manner. And⁵ if thou wilt raise up the ears of thy soul, to hear that lamentable Edict with attention, which was made against innocency itself, proclaiming Jesus Christ our Lord (throughout those streets of Jerusalem) for a malefactor; thou⁶ wilt be confounded, when thou seest that thou art honoured; or when thou shalt desire so to be. And thou wilt say with a deep & cordial sigh, O Lord. art thou proclaimed for wicked, and I praised for good? What is there that can give us greater grief? And not only wilt thou lose the hunger of worldly honour, but thou wilt covet greedily to be despised, in conformity of our Lord, whom to follow (as the Scripture⁷ saith) is great honour. And then wilt thou say, with S Paul, God forbidden that⁸ I should receive honour, but in the Cross of Jesus Christ, our Lord; yea, & thou wilt desire to fulfil that, which the same Apostle saith else⁹ where, Let us go out, and seek Christ in the camp, and let us imitate him in his dishonour.

Now if this passion of vain glory, be a powerful kind of thing; much more powerful, is the remedy of the example, and grace of Christ. Which¹⁰ doth in such sort overcome, & root it out of the hart, as to make it find, that it is a thing to be abhorred, for a Christian to see the Lord of Majesty abase himself to such contempt, whilst he, vile worm, swelleth up with the love of honour. Therefore is it, that our Lord inviteth, & encourageth us, by his example saying, Have confidence, for I have overcome the world. As if he had said, Before I came hither, a hard point, it was to wrestle with the deceitpfull world; casting away that which flourisheth therein, and embracing that, which it contemns; but, after that it employed all the forces it had against me; inventing new kinds of torments, and dishonour, all which I endured without once turning my face aside; it is now, not only grown weak, for having encountered with one who was able to suffer more than that; but it is even overcome outright to your benefit; since by my example which I gave you, and by the strength which I have gained for you, you may at case subdue, and trample it, under your feet.

Let the Christian man consider, that since the world, dishonoured the Blessed Son of God, who is Eternal Truth, and our Sovereign Good; there is no cause why any man should esteem, or believe it in any thing Nay, seeing¹¹ that it was deceived, in not discerning such a light of extreme clarity; and in not honouring him, who is most true, and perfect honour; let the Christian man reject that, which the world allows; & let him prise & love that, which the world doth despise, & hate. Flying with much care from being esteemed, by that¹² which did despise his Lord, and holding it for a great sign of being beloved by Christ, to be despised by the world with him, and for his sake.

Out of which this resultes; That as they who are of this world, have no ears wherewith to hearken to the truth, and doctrine of God (nay rather they despise the same) so¹³ he who taketh the part of Christ, is to have none, wherewith to hearken to, or to believe the lies of the world. For in fine, whether it flatter or persecute; whether it promise or threaten; whether it speak frightfully or fair; it doth every where deceive; and hath a mind to do so; and with such eyes, we are to look upon it. And¹⁴ it is certain, that for so many lies, and false promises, wherein we have taken it tripping; if any man should have told us but the one half, we would trust him now in nothing; yea hardly should we credit him although he might chance in other things to say true. That¹⁵ which the world can do, is indeed neither good nor bad, since it cannot either give, or take away, the grace of God. Nay even in that, over which it seemeth to have power, it is yet not able to do any thing; since it cannot reach to the least hair of our head, without the will of our Lord. And if it tell us any other tale of itself, we must not believe it. And who then will not dare to encounter an enemy, who hath no power at all?

Footnotes

1. True nobility. ↩

2. Note. ↩

3. Our Lord chose reproach, to confound and reform our pride. ↩

4. joan. ●. ↩

5. Note ↩

6. Sure I am that we ought to be so. ↩

7. Eccles. ●●. ↩

8. Galat. ●. ↩

9. Heb. 13. ↩

10. The blood of our Lord, worketh wonders upon the proud hart of man. ↩

11. A demonstration, why we ought to believe the world, no more. ↩

12. The World. ↩

13. The servant of our Lord ought at least to be as careful to please him, as the servants of the world are, to please it. ↩

14. Note this, for a most certain truth. ↩

15. If the world do either promise, or threaten, it lies. ↩